Chef's Story: 27 Chefs Talk About What Got Them into the Kitchen

by Dorothy Hamilton, Patric Kuh

This companion book to The French Culinary Institute's Public Television series hosted by Dorothy Hamilton brings together twenty-seven extraordinary chefs to tell the personal stories behind their culinary triumphs. Chefs have become figures of heightened interest in our culture over the past decade. We look at chefs as stars and to restaurants as their stage. The twenty-seven fascinating individuals who tell their stories in this book bring us into their world and reveal how their early years, their beliefs, and their passion for quality have helped them become modern culinary legends.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Biography, Cooking, Culinary, Food and Drink

304 pages, Hardcover

First published April 3, 2007

About the author

Dorothy Hamilton founded The French Culinary Institute. She is chairwoman emeritus for life of the American Institute of Wine and Food, and was recently appointed chairwoman of the board of trustees for the James Beard Foundation. She lives in New York and Connecticut. (from the publisher's website)"

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to cook, so I always find it interesting what makes a person choose to be a chef. So many different stories, and how interesting to see how some of the "greats" had no interest in cooking and just kind of fell into it.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating, albeit older book, profiling famous chefs. Would like to see a new one come out interviewing some of the same people, to see how their perspective has changed, and include some new folks as well (like Michael Symon, Antonia La Faso, Alex Guarneschelli, Darnell Ferguson) .

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting and insightful stories of how some of the most relevant chefs of today got in the field.Some knew early on that that was what they wanted to do.Some just fell in to it.A recurring theme in some of these stories is making the big step up.Challenging one self.I was in college and a pretty good bike racer,but I knew I had to make a decision to get up to pro level racing.I quit school and raced full time,but needed a part time job and ended up in a restaurant.There are stories here about taking that scary plunge.Living in a store room, but working with a famous chef,or in my case living on the road and racing with your idols.
I like Bobby Flay's story."No one hangs out in my kitchen", meaning ,no slackers.When ever someone says they had a hard day at work,I laugh.Your hardest day at work is one of these guys first hour of a 14 hour day.
Read it,it's great.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that this book didn't give the usual harsh view of what it takes to be a chef story. I've read that book more than once already. All of the chefs seem a little more light hearted and passionate. This may have been the easiest book I've ever read, and actually inspired me to look more closely at the way I cook and open myself up a bit more. My only complaint is of a personal nature - I'm sick of hearing about French cooking - Big Deal!! - butter and cream, cream and butter, more cream and more butter. Are you really going to sit there and tell me that French food is still the best food in the world. Odd how they all end up in the America regardless. Good food, like art is subjective- know one can tell you what tastes good.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy cooking and watch a lot of Food Network. It was interesting to me to find out how famous chefs started their vocations. What surprised me were that so many started from different spaces, and that what made them excel and be successful are almost identical.

[Julie Rybczynski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is from a PBS series of the same name. I picked it up on a whim at the library and it set me off on months of reading exclusively about food. The book interviews 27 top chefs about how they started cooking. It is great!

[Nancy Dardarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first person narrative from 27 chefs about the development of their skills, what has inspired them, and how they stay fresh and interested.

So many of them experienced the birth of their passion for cooking at home - with talented home cooks creating good meals every day.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read about what got these people cooking. I'm biased, I've worked for FCI, worked for quite a few of these Chefs, but it's great to read about their personal reasons for entering this insane industry. Should be a must read for every cook entering this world.

[Libby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly high literature, but a fun and easy read about some of my favorites!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like cooking and have pondered becoming a chef (and I certainly have!) this is a great read. Just fun, easy reading about what inspired chefs to get cooking.

[Kosh Koshover · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun quick read, little vignettes into some favorite chefs

[absankar · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting,